“Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ’Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.’ Then he went and washed and came back able to see.” (John 9:6-7)
Did you even wonder if this man with mud on his eyes, finding his way to the pool of Siloam, ever thought, “This will not work.” Still, he went to the water trusting Jesus’ word. He did not even ask a question; he simply went and washed. I have also wondered what he thought after washing and seeing for the first time in his life! Isn’t it true that though most of us have not experienced physical blindness, but we have trusted what others could see though we could not. We don’t see the gifts or talents in others; we don’t even see the gifts of talents we have within ourselves! Yet others often do see them. As we listen to and trust those who have a different perspective, we come to realize that what they have seen is so true! We realize we can’t see everything and so we have to rely on one another to help us see life and reality as it truly is. We need to have the simple trust that enables us to wash away the mud of doubts and see those gifts! On Monday, March 20th, we are celebrating the feast of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and earthly father to Jesus. His feast day had been moved to Monday in order to keep Sunday open as the day of the Lord. St. Joseph is a great example of someone who trusted God, when God asked him to do the most unusual thing: marry Mary, who was already with child. That child was Jesus. Joseph never said one word of doubt even though we can safely believe that he had doubts on his heart. He, like all of us, need to have the mud washed off from our eyes, when God calls us to do things that seem humanly impossible. Joseph teaches us that words count little in our prayers. What really shows trust is the response in our hearts. Yes Lord, we have come to do your most Holy Will. ~Fr. John
